Warning Signs: Sparkles Ahead!

Yesterday, at E-Mart something shiny caught my eye...and I put it gleefully into my cart. I mean, doesn't EVERYONE wish they had a pair of teal, zebra-striped shoelaces?  For 1,000 won (under a dollar) I could brighten up my slightly woe begone chucks. 

After taking off my work clothes today I figured it would be a perfect time to try them out...and realized that it is quite possible that I've been in Korea for too long. WHO ON EARTH PUTS SUCH STRANGE THINGS ON THEIR FEET?! Koreans do!** It's kind of fabulous and yet very frightening at the same time. Like seeing my adult coworkers wear rhinestone, Hello Kitty slippers in the hall.

(They aren't tied up all the way to the ankle for a reason...Korean shoes need to be easy to slip on and off since you generally don't wear them inside.)

My friend, Cowboy Batman, said that his moment came when he "realized [he] owned two ties that had sparkles in it."

I am very ready for summer vacation.

**I don't think it's bad that Koreans often wear bright, sparkly things-- I'm just finding it strange that I'm starting to want to wear them too...